Advanced Medical Support Assistant - Community Care

Veterans Health Administration • Indianapolis, IN

21h • Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) serves as a Consult Coordinator for the local Community Care office. The position works collaboratively with an expanded interdisciplinary health care team, including community providers, third-party administrators, pharmacists, social workers, dieticians, and behavioral health staff, to support coordinated care.

The Advanced MSA performs receptionist and customer-service duties, supports timely patient treatment, and maintains Community Care appointment schedules. The role coordinates care with community providers, obtains and records medical documentation, supports patient identification and demographic-data accuracy, collects insurance information, promotes My HealtheVet registration and use, and communicates with patients and staff in accordance with privacy rules and clinic processes. The MSA also interprets and applies VHA scheduling directives, monitors consults and appointment access, and assists in training other MSA levels.

The work is primarily sedentary, with occasional movement to retrieve records or visit offices in other buildings and occasional carrying of lightweight items. The schedule is Monday through Friday, either 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. or 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Telework is unavailable, and the position is not virtual.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade for GS-06.
• Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process, including scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care and/or community care models and patient health care portals, as related to access to care.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures for interdisciplinary coordinated care and/or community care operations affecting patient flow and administrative support functions, including appointment cycles, outside referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, and provider availability.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with medical clinicians across multiple disciplines to accomplish team goals and ensure patient care needs are met.
• Ability to independently prioritize and organize work to meet deadlines and comply with established processes, policies, and regulations.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing with internal and external customers, including resolving patient concerns and preparing reports or presenting data.
• Must complete the required application steps and online assessment.
• Subject to background/security investigation and required online onboarding.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel requirement.
• Must complete required application documents and provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, with continued employment subject to written certification that it advances the public interest.

Responsibilities

• Perform receptionist, customer-service, and other assigned duties to support proper and timely patient treatment.
• Maintain appointment schedules for Community Care.
• Communicate with community providers to confirm they accept VA patients and payments; prepare required pre-appointment documents; authorize and schedule the appropriate level of care; and document schedules in the appropriate consult.
• Obtain medical documentation from community providers, scan it into the appropriate consult in CPRS, and alert VA providers to support continuity of care.
• Follow patient-safety identification standards by using two forms of identification, including name and full Social Security Number; a Veterans Identification Card may also be presented.
• Validate and update patient demographic information during check-in or by phone to reduce returned mail and problems contacting patients.
• Explain the VA mandate to collect insurance information; collect, scan, and update health insurance information; and identify patients with third-party insurance to support revenue collection.
• Promote veteran registration for and use of My HealtheVet.
• Screen and receive phone calls courteously and promptly, determine the nature of requests, and provide information in accordance with privacy rules and clinic processes.
• Interpret and communicate VHA Scheduling Directive requirements and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities.
• Authorize and schedule appointments, verify eligibility, and monitor pertinent folders in CTM in a timely manner; schedule appointments with patient input and coordinate where possible to avoid multiple trips to the medical center or clinic.
• Notify the supervisor when clinic access is inadequate or a patient cannot be scheduled within mandated clinic timeframes.
• Review active and pending consults daily for accuracy and disposition.
• Assist in training other MSA levels.
• Perform additional duties or tasks assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package available to the employee and family, with eligibility dependent on position type.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual for prior work or military service, subject to request and approval and not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED